We were on the Destiny for the June 17,2007 sailing. Had a great time. We do not do Carnival tours, but arrange our own.
In St. Thomas we did a good bit of shopping, went up the tram that is near the port. Taxis are everywhere and cheap so you can easily do whatever you want here on your own.

In Dominica my wife and I went on a private tour with Levi (bumpiingtours.com). Best tour I have ever been on. Highly recommend this guide either for a private or group tour. We did the highlights of the island. Very unique place.

In Barbados we went on the luxury sailboat, Silvermoon. They limit the passengers to 12. Great experience. We snorkeled with sea turtles, saw nice places. 5 star experience. They serve lunch, which was outstanding as well as drinks. This was probably the highlight of our cruise. Reservations are a must months in advance as they are booked solid.

In St. Lucia we did a group tour with Serenity Tours. Good tour, friendly people, great rum punch. Learned much about the island.

In Antigua we took a taxi to Dickerson"s beach for the day. Paradise but a little crowded. Had umbrellas/chairs for rent, restrooms, a good restaurant/bar. Nice relaxing day.

I sail one week from today!! Can't hardly contain myself. We are flying into San Juan the day before.
We have to excursions booked, in Dominica it's with Fredos and in St Lucia it's with Shal of Jungle Tours. They had good reviews on another site. Here's their websites
Fredos http://freddy536.tripod.com
Shal www.jungletoursstlucia.com

We are planning on ziplining in Antigua. I will let you know how they all went when I get back.

Anybody else been on these? What kind of safes are on Destiny? Is it the card kind or the one you punch numbers into?

When you get to Dominica, there will be lots of tour guides right there at the port waiting to show you their beautiful island. Expect to pay around $30 per person for a tour. If I had to choose between the Emerald Pool or Trafalgar Falls, I would go to the pool. The two are quite a distance from each other but it is possible to see both in one day. Either of the two will require walking up and/or down a trail. Mr. Nice's Fruit Stand is another very popular place. He doesn't sell anything, just asks for donations (look for the coconut hanging from the ceiling), and the fruit he offers is just incredible.

Depending on what you want to do on Barbados, and how adventurous you are, I've heard that the Boatyard is a nice place for beach fun. We've always rented a vehicle and explored on our own. OUR "must see" places are Crane Beach and the North Point. The Crane is on the east side of the island, so it's not your typical "tropical island" beach, but for me there's just a "feeling" there. At the North Point you'll find the Animal Flower Cave (honestly never been in the caves), and some of the most spectacular cliffs with the waves crashing just like on (I'm going to date myself here ) Dark Shadows.

Check out our photos from the 2006 cruise.

The safes on the Destiny are the card-swiping type.

Haven't been to Antigua or the Dominican Repbulic, so I can't help there.